Coin controlled lock



Oct. 3l, 1933. G. HQFMANN COIN CONTROLLED LOCK Filed April 14. 1951 2Sheets-Sheet l f77 0671 o z* @gorge Hoiwwwn y K Oct, 3l, 1933. G,Hol-'MANN COIN CONTROLLED LOCK 2 WN zw r t .9? o i m ms .n W ,f w w 7 NnQM, l NN 1 mw QW NN NN 1N* www NN 4 l l 1 IL. Nw .W wwww wm A w n wm R NF QM. .SW

am NN QN l ,www T @l 60 729e Kaff/fawn `W Patented Oct. 31, 1933 gUNITED STATES COIN ooNraoLLED LOCK.

George Hofmann, Boston, Mass., .assgnor to American Locker Company,Chicago, Ill., a vcorporation of Delaware Applicatipn April 14,` 1,931".serial 1-1'0.y529,951

" 11 claims. Koi. 15M-92) This linvention relates tocoincontrolleddevices, and more particularly to such devices for vending purposes. Theprimary object of the invention-is to provide an improved coincontrolled v lock which may be applied toa cabinet or the like and setin a locked position fromwhich it may be opened only bythe depositing oftheV proper coin thereinto.

After the lock has been opened and the vended ,i goods delivered orremoved, it is desirable that the lock can be again set to lockedcondition only by proper authority who, before so'setting the lock,deposits lthereinto another consignment of the goods to be vended, asotherwise the'I next vcustomer might deposit a coin and receive no goodstherefor. yIt is, therefore, another object of my invention to provide acoin controlled lock of the above defined naturek wherein is embodiedcontrolling means for preventing the resetting of -the look to lockedposition except by the properly authorized person. y l

Other objects of my invention include Ithe provision of an exterior knob.for'opening the` lock upon the depositing of a coinand a key rel.

but' it will be understood that ythe invention can` v 1 be otherwiseembodied and that thedrawings are not toube construed as definingOrlimiting .the

scope ofthe invention, the claims appended heretobeing relied uponforvthat purpose.

Referring' to the figures of the drawings,

Fig. 1A yis a front/'view of my improved lock mounted-in avendingcabinet; c

Figs. 2 and 3 'are' sectional views ytherethrough taken vrespectivelyyon lines 2- 2 and 3-3 of,

Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of rthe lockin the locked position and withAthe face plate removed;

Fig. 5 showsthe same in unlocked position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 and showing the retainingmechanism.. in opera` `5o tion; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken yon line 'l-IT ofJEig-5. Referringmoreparticular'ly to the drawings byreference characters, 10 indicatesa` vending g cabinethaving anvopeningtherein receiving the l ceivingmeans, preferably therethrough, for re' setting the lockA to lockedposition,` means for l quickly throwing the lock to and retaining it inits locked and unlocked positions, improved' lock in such manner thatthe front plate 12 thereof covers .the opening,the lower enolv of theplate having a lip l4engaging the inner face of the ycabinet andtheupper end of the plate beingy lockedwithinthe opening by a locklhaving a 60,

bolt 18 also engaging the inner face of the. cabinet.` A rear bodyportion 2O is secured 'to f and in spaced .relation from the rear faceof the.

plate 12 bybolts 22 and the improvedglock of'.

my invention issupported on and between these v .j

front'and `rear elements, as will now` be described. The lock cylinder24 is rotatably mounted in a bore 26 in the body 20 and is provided with`a plurality Aof .tumblers 28 which may slide vertically intolupper andlower recesses 30 and 32,797, y openinginto the bore, the tumblersnormally-being in the down andlocking position of Fig. 7 when the lockis in the released position of Fig. 5. The forwardly extending portionof the cylinder beyond the tumblers 28 comprises a pair of bare 7:5v`

like members 34 and these `members extend through fitting openingswithin a locking plate 36, a member38 and the inner end wall of an eX-terior knob 40. Screws 42 are threaded into the members '34 and incooperation with a circular 80 plate 44.hold the several parts assembledon the cylinder. The inner end of the knob is rotatably supported withinan opening in the front plate 12Qand a keyholeslot 46 extends throughthe. several .elements to thetumblers. c

A locking bar 48 is carried by the plate 36 and is shown inthecabinet-locking position in Fig. 4. Beneath the cylinder 24 is a coinreceiver 50 into which-a coin may be deposited through a slot 52 in thefront yplate 12 when `the vcabinet is in llocked 90 position. A closureplate. 54 is provided for preventing such insertion when the ,lock ismoved to its unlocked position, The upper end of this plate is pinnedtothe plate 36 at 55 and its lower end is carried -by arockingarm`56.The closure plate 9,5

` is,.therefore, carried positively by the plate36finto the twopositions shown.inFigs. 4 and 5. The cyl# inder 24'and its plates areresilientlythrownto and held in these two positions rfrom anintermediate position by a leaf spring v58 securedto the 100 body 20 andhaving a free pawl-like V end Y60 cooperating with a roller 62 on theplatel38. The following means'are provided for holding the lock in thecabinet-locking'position (Fig. 4) until a coin has been deposited in thereceiver 50. A pawl 6`4pivoted at 6,6 hasits nose 68 nor-'- mallyengaged by .means of a spring 69 with the vedge of the plate 38. In thelockedposition the nose 68 Visadapted to cooperate 4with al notch 70 inthe plate y384 and Aprevent rotation of the cylinder 11o l pivoted at 92has at its lower -end a pinand slot i `whereby to withdraw the tumblers.

' insertion and clockwise rotation of the lock, the

When thecylinder is 'in its full forward position' (Fig. 4) the'pawlnose 68 is forced out of the notch 70 and the finger 78 is likewisewithdrawn from the coin receiver 50, thereby permitting a coin to bereceived therein. It will be clear that 'a coin 80 in the receiver willact as an abutment to the finger '78 and thereby withhold the pawl lnose 68 from engaging within the notch '70, thus permitting thelcylinder tof be rotated in the unlocking direction.

When a coin S0 is deposited 52, it is necessary that it shall beretained within the receiver until it has served its lock-releasfv ingfunction. The following means are provided orthispurpose. A lever 82pivoted at 84`has av coin-retaining nger 88 on its lower end anda spring88 normally urges the lever in a direction holding this 'finger incoin-detaining position within the receiver (Fig. 4). A second lever 90connection A94 with the lever 82 and its upper end is in the path ofmovement of a cam'portion 96 of the plate 38. A coin deposited into thereceiver is, therefore, supported therein by the finger 86 until thenotch' 70 has passed the engaging pawl end l68the cam face 9G thereafteracting to withdraw the finger and permit the coin to drop into areceptacle. The function of :the `spring -58 should hereinbeparticularly noted. The4 V portion 60 of the spring is so located that'the roller 62 passes .thereby before the locking bar 48 has passed tothe releasing position and the spring thereafter acts to quicklycomplete the operation whereby the lock is brought to the unlockedposition (Figs. 5 and '1) and the coin' dropped into the receptacle. i

yThe operation of the device may be brieiiy de#` scribed as follows.The'lock isshown in the unlocked position in Figs. 'and l and is held insuch position by the tumblers 28. The same may be set to the lockedpositionl only by the authorized agent by the insertion of the properkey Upon such spring58 acts to quickly throw the parts to the lockedposition (Figs. 4 and 6) and to normally hold them inthe position ofFig. 4. ln this latter position the coin slot 52 is open and the nger'78 is withdrawn. VAny attempt vto rotate the knob 4.0 rearwardly willcause the pawl`68 to engage Within the notch 'l0 (Fig. 6) and preventfurther unlocking movement. However, when a'coin is deposited into theyreceiver 50, it acts as a stop 6o' tothe iinger 78 which, iny turn',prevents the operation of the pawl 68, such coin being retained withinthe receiver'by the linger 86. The lock may now be rotatedin'thereleasing direction and as'soony asv the notch 70 passes the'tooth 68the roller 62 will have passed the V portion 60 of the spring 58,whereby such spring will act to quickly complete the unlocking movement.During this further unlocking action, the cam portion 96 acts y, on thelever 90 to withdraw the linger 86 whereby y'zo' the coinis released anddrops into a receptacle. The lock is thereupon brought to the originalunlocked position, from which it can be reset only by the use of theproper key.y -Such arkey is used d .by thev authorized agent whenhe.comes to refill .75.

the cabinet with goods to be vended.

ythrough the slot *4 Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin controlled lock comprising the cornbination of a rotatablecylinder, a locking bar operated thereby, an exterior knob for rotatingthe cylinder, a coin' receiver, 'means normally retainingthe cylinderand barin locking position and having a'flnger adapted to enter thereceiver, the presence of a coin in the receiver being adapted toobstruct the finger and thereby prevent the retaining action of thenrst-named means whereby the cylinder and bar may be moved by said knobfrom locking position to released` position, means acting to quicklythrow the cylinder to both said two positions from an `intermediateposition and to resiliently retain the cylinder in such positions, andkey controlled means*v preventing unauthorized return movement of thecylinder and bar to lockingposition.

2. A coin controlled llock comprising the combination of a rotatablecylinder, a locking bar operated thereby, a coin receiver, meansi nor?mally retaining the cylinder and bar in llocking position and having afinger adapted tol en ter the receiver, the presence `ci a coin inthereceiver being adapted to obstruct the nger and thereby prevent theretaining action of the 4first-narned means whereby ,the cylinder andbar may be moved'fro'm; locking position to released position, andcombination controlled means vpreventing unauthorized returnmovement oithe cylinderv and lbar-to locking position. 3. A coin controlled lockvcomprising the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a locking barcarried thereby,` an lexterior knob for rotating the cylinder, acoinrec'eiver, means normally retainu ing the cylinder and bar inlocking position and Ahaving a linger adapted-to enter the receiver, the

presence of a coin in the receiver being adapted to obstruct the fingerand thereby prevent the retainingaction of the first-named means wherebythe knob can rotate the cylinder and bar froml the cylinder, va coinreceiver, means normally retaining the cylinder and bar inlockingposition and having a finger adapted toenter thereceiver; the presenceof: a Vcoin in theA receiver being adapted .to obstruct theiinger andlthereby prevent the retaining action of theV first-named means wherebythe knobcan'l rotate the' cylinder and bar from locking position toreleased position, and key controlled means withinthecylinder preventingunauthorized return.- movement of the cylinder and bar to lockingpOSition. V

5. A coin controlled lock comprising the com-- bination of a rotatablecylinder, ra locking bar operated thereby, ,an exterior knob coaxialwith and connected to" thecylinder, acoinjreceiver, means normallyretaining` the cylinder and `bar in locking position and having a'iingeradaptedto enter the receiver, the presence ofv a coin in the receiverbeing adapted to obstruct the finger and thereby prevent the retainingaction of the rst-A named means wherebythe knob "can rotatethe cylinderand bar fromlocking position .toreleased position, key controlled. meanswithin the 'cylinder and bar its preventingunauthorizedreturnmovementofthe cylinder and bar to'locking position, and means 150providing for the engagement of a releasing key with the cylinderthrough the knob.

6. A coin controlled Alock comprising the combination ci a rotatablecylinder, a locking bar operated thereby, an exterior knob connected tothe cylinder, a coin receiver, means normally retaining the cylinder andbar in locking position and having afnger adapted to enter the receiver,the presence of a coin in the receiver being adapted to obstruct thenger and thereby prevent the retaining action of the first-named meanswhereby the knob can rotate the cylinder and bar from locking positionto released position, a plurality of locking tumblers Within thecylinder for preventing unauthorized return movement of the cylinder andbar to lockingl position, and means 4providing an exterior key passageinto the cylinder whereby the application of a key thereto is adapted toWithdraw the tumblers and permit turning of the cylinder to thefirst-named position.A

7. A lock comprising a rotatable cylinder, a

. locking bar moved thereby between locking and unlocking positions, anexterior knob for rotating the cylinder, a coin receiver, meanspreventing movement of the cylinder by Ithe knob from the lockingposition to the unlocking position except When a coin is presentl in thereceiver, and means preventing the resetting of the lock to the lockingvposition except by the application of a key thereto.

8. A lock comprising a rotatable cylinder, a locking `bar moved therebybetween lockingand unlocking positions, an exterior knob for rotatingthe cylinder, a coin receiver having a coin slot opening thereinto,means preventing movement of the cylinder by the knob from the lockingposition to the unlocking position except when a coin is present in thereceiver, combination controlled means preventing unauthorized returnmovement of the cylinder and bar to locking position, and meansconnected to the cylinder and moved thereby to obstruct the slot openingwhen the cylinder is inthe unlocked position.

9. A coin controlled lock comprising the combination of a base, acylinder therein, a coin receiver, a shoulder connected to the cylinder,a pawl adapted to be disposed in the path of travel of the shoulder, afinger connected to thepawl and ladapted to enter the receiver when thepaWl enters the path of said shoulder, means for retaining a coin in thereceiver in a position obstructing the finger, means including a camcarried by the cylinder for releasing the first-named means uponrotation of the cylinder and after` .the shoulder Ahas passed the pawl,and a spring attached to the base and acting on the cylinder for quicklycompleting the rotation ofthe cylinder afterl the said passing of theshoulder.

l0. A coincontrolled lock comprising Ithe combination of a cylinder, acoin receiver, a shoulder connected to the cylinder, a paWl adapted tobe `disposed in the path of travel of the shoulder, a finger connectedto the pawl and adapted to enter the receiver when the pawl enters thepath of said shoulder, means for holding the nger `from entering thereceiver when the cylinder is in the extreme position from which theshoulder prevents movement to theother extreme position,I andresilientmeans including a leafy spring having a V engagement with a rollercarried by t the cylinder normally'holding the cylinder in the rst saidextreme position, and operativel quickly to throw the cylinderto bothsaid vpositions from an intermediate position.

1l. lA coin controlled lockcomprising the combination of a rotarycylinder, a locking member operated thereby, means exteriorly of thelock for rotating the cylinder and thus moving the member from lockedposition to unlocked position, a coin receiver, means for retaining saidmember in locked position against the action of the rst-named means andincluding means for permitting movement of the member to unlockedposition by the first-named means when a coin is present in saidreceiver, and key-operated` tumblers preventing return rotation of thecylinderand thus return movement of the member from unlocked to. lockedposition by the rstnamed means.

GEORGE HOFlMANN.`

